Bleeping Indie

Tom Van Buskirk and George Langford do whatever the hell they want. With Javelin, the pair of musicians explores a variety of sounds, channeling influences from across the spectrum of musical genres. “We were never interested in making a tight, recognizable sound,” Buskirk says.

Often times a band or an artist will establish credibility and a distinctive voice before moving on to experiment with different creative avenues. Javelin did the exact opposite. “We never even bothered to get the credibility,” Buskirk says. “We wanted to get good at spreading ourselves out.”

The tech-heavy duo developed their style by using samples and filtering them back through themselves to make a new, layered sound. Their 2013 release Hi Beams twinkles with dirty drums, robotic disco bleeps and vocals reminiscent of Passion Pit’s Michael Angelakos — but with less conviction. Combining all these flavors is easier said then done, but it all converges to create poppy indie-electronica that doesn’t take itself too seriously. “It’s definitely a major outlet for creativity,” Buskirk says. “I need to make music or else I don’t feel as good as I could.”

And it’s the creativity that’s taken them to their current state. Javelin is embarking on a tour that will bring them to the West Coast with a new live show featuring their trademark boom boxes as the show’s backdrop.

Touring alongside Javelin are Helado Negro and Jamaican Queens. Helado Negro is one of a few experimental electronic projects of Roberto Carlos Lange. His Ecuadorian heritage shines through in ethereal, steamy beats blending together with a mellow, corroded sound design and instrumentation. Indie pop trio Jamaican Queens offer a more energetic sound, one that is very clearly inspired by the likes of MGMT, but with more tactile beats and vocals.

Javelin plays with Jamaican Queens and Helado Negro 9 pm Tuesday, May 7, at Cozmic; $6 adv., $8 door.